


Accolades and Ohana Part 11

by daffodil729



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-20 14:40:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18994648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daffodil729/pseuds/daffodil729





	Accolades and Ohana Part 11

_The room was dark.  When the door opened and light flooded the space suddenly, Steve held a hand up to block it, unable to stop the painful moan that escaped him.  Felipe Ines and two of his men entered the  small room._

_“Commander,” Ines sneered with a sadistic smile.  “It’s good to see you awake.  Our guests will be glad to hear of this too.  You were of little to interest to them while you remained unconscious.”_

_Steve glared at Ines but refused to respond._

_Ines nodded to his men and they hauled Steve to his feet.  His head swam from the concussion he’d already suffered.  He gagged harshly but had nothing in his stomach to vomit.  The retching caused the wound in his abdomen to come alive with fiery pain._

_He was dragged to a room at the end of a long hallway. **Concrete, no windows** , he noticed dully.  He felt sluggish.  Whatever they kept injecting him with was powerful.  He slowly turned his head to take in more of the room._

_Rows of chairs had been arranged around an open area in the middle, almost like a small arena of sorts.  There were shackles attached to the ceiling in the center of the open area._

_“Go on, Commander,” Ines said, pushing Steve from behind.  “You’re the—how you say?— **m** ain event_.”

_The men pulled him forward.  He weakly tried to pull away, but the concussion and stab wound caused the effort to be in vain.  He was taken roughly moved to the center, hands shackled above his head.  His toes touched the ground, but nothing more._

_The room filled slowly.  Familiar faces from Steve’s past came into view.  The hate and evil excitement that filled the room was palpable._

_The bidding began then.  Ines welcomed the group as if he were some sort of insane auctioneer in charge of a livestock sale.  He called out a beginning bid of an astronomically high number.  It was taken, then immediately countered with a higher offer.  Steve choked back a sob as he realized the hate these men felt for him, and what they would do to him in exchange for exorbitant amounts of money._

_The winner of the first round focused on Steve’s head and face with his fist.  When his five minutes were up, the bidding began all over again.  And so it went for hours.  He was injected with serums that caused his body to feel as if it were on fire, serums that caused hallucinations so real he wept from fear, serums that made his heart pound and kept him painfully conscious._

_He screamed until his voice was hoarse and nearly nonexistent.  He cried out for mercy, for help, for someone to save him from what surely would be his death—_

Steve awoke with a heaving sob, heart racing and head pounding, struggling to open his eyes and get away from the nightmare.  He moved to clutch his head, forgetting the cast on his arm and not thinking about his knee as he tried to curl into a fetal position.  He stuffed his good hand in his mouth to stop himself from crying out.  He was in agony.  The dream was too much, remembering was too much, the physical pain was _too much._ He choked as nausea rolled over him in waves.  He realized he was going to throw up but had no energy to reach for the basin on the bedside table.

“Danny!” Callie exclaimed, waking from a nap and realizing at once what was happening.  She scrambled to Steve’s side.

Instantly awake and alert, Danny grabbed for a towel and passed it to Callie.  She slid the towel under Steve’s chin to catch the small amount of bile he threw up. 

Danny’s heart twisted in his chest as he realized Steve was so sick and in such pain that he couldn’t even raise his head to be sick in the basin.  After wetting a washcloth at the sink, Danny mopped his partner’s forehead.

“I’m sorry,” Steve whispered hoarsely.  “I didn’t—I couldn’t—”

“Shh,” Callie said, smoothing her hand along the side of his face.  She smiled at him.  “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

“I threw up.  I—I’m sorry.”

“Steve,” Danny said softly.  “Steve.”

Steve’s eyes were full of embarrassment.  “I couldn’t even…I’m so sorry,” he whispered, not looking at Danny or Callie.   

“Hey,” Danny said, trying to make his partner more comfortable.  “We told you—it’s no big deal, babe.  Right, Callie?”

“Right,” Callie said, rubbing his arm in reassurance.

Steve closed his eyes and leaned into Callie’s arms.  He took a deep breath and shuddered.  “Nightmare.”

Callie and Danny exchanged a look but remained quiet. 

“Every time I fall asleep I’m back there,” Steve said hoarsely.  “I can’t get away from it, and I can’t get away from the pain.”  He swallowed hard.  “I’m—I’m not doing so well.”

“What can we do to help, babe?” Danny asked.  His voice was still much quieter than normal.  He knew Steve needed gentle and soothing help and reassurance right now.  Later he might need to have his proverbial ass kicked to get back in line—and Danny would be the first to do it—but right now Danny thought that type of tough love would break him.  He needed kid gloves now.

Tears filled Steve’s eyes.  “I need…can you…something for pain?” 

“Of course,” Callie said to Steve, leaning down to kiss his forehead.  “Do you feel like you could drink a little something?  I could grab you a bottle of water.”

He made a face and shook his head.  “Sprite?  With ice?”

“Sure,” she smiled.  “I’ll be right back.”  She gave Danny a quick look.  Danny nodded, catching Callie’s meaning— _Keep an eye on him._ She turned to go.

“Cal?” Steve asked.  Callie paused with her hand on the door and turned toward him. 

“Yeah?”

“Can you get Jack?  I need Jack.”

Callie tried to push her worry aside and smile.  “Of course.”

* * *

 

Steve shifted uncomfortably in the bed. 

“What can I do?” Danny asked. 

“Mmm,” Steve turned his head into the pillow, closing his eyes and grimacing.  Beads of sweat had broken out across his forehead.  “Talk.”

“Talk?  Are you not the one who’s always telling me to stop talking?  Or that I talk too much?”

A ghost of a smile crossed Steve’s pained face.  “Usually.  But I need a distraction now.”  He winced.

Danny cleared the lump in his throat and pushed himself to smile and act normally.  “Well, my friend, I can definitely talk.  It’s one of my many talents, you know.  So let’s start with one of my favorite subjects.  My darling daughter came home from cheer camp.  Half the squad isn’t talking to each other anymore because of some sort of falling out—don’t even ask what it was about, I can’t follow the drama that is the life of a teenage girl—but it was major, according to Grace.  I’m sure you’ll get to hear all about it from her.  I think she talks to you more than she talks to me or Rachel, you know.  She thinks the world of you, babe.  She’s out there, you know.  In the waiting room.  She came straight here to make sure you were gonna be alright.  There’s a lot of people out there with her.  Lou, Tani, Junior…he’s about beside himself, by the way.  Worried sick, I think, but he has been so good to Callie.  She had to talk him out of some major guilt—you know how you SEALs think everything is your fault; they must teach you that in SEAL school—but you’ll probably have to talk to him too when you feel like it.  Anyway, people out there—lots of SEALs but Mrs. Sally is keeping them in check, about half of HPD—the half you haven’t managed to piss off lately—you’re doing a lot better about that, by the way—I haven’t had to worry about us not having them show up for backup in a long time.  Which is nice, but I’m a little worried you might be using your touch, if you want to know the truth.  They don’t _all_ think you’re an ass these days.  It’s a nice change of pace, really.  Anyway, lots of people, Steven.  So, when you’re up to seeing them, they’re there.  But nobody’s pushing, babe, and everyone understands.  There’s no rush, okay?  Now, another favorite subject of mine, Charlie…”

* * *

 

As Danny continued his monologue, Callie approached the nurses’ station.  She smiled, seeing that Dinah was back.

“Dr. Ryan,” Dinah said, smiling broadly.  “I just came on duty and was going to come say hello soon.  How is my favorite patient today?”

Callie stepped to the drink cart, grabbed a Sprite, and filled a cup with ice.

“Never mind,” Dinah said, motioning to the items in Callie’s hands.  “That tells me everything I need to know right there.  If he’s asking for anything other than water, he must be feeling poorly.”

Callie gave the kind nurse a weary smile.  “You’ve figured him out, Dinah.  He criticizes me for my love of soft drinks every chance he gets, but if he doesn’t feel well that’s what he always wants.  He’s still nauseous and in pain,” Callie replied with a sigh.  “I wish we could’ve waited to do the surgery.  I understand the reason behind not waiting, but I think we pushed him.  He’s going to need surgery on his arm and hand too, so we’re not even finished yet.”  Callie sighed.  “I don’t know if he can handle it.  He’s…in a bad place, Dinah.”

Dinah nodded sympathetically.  “Commander McGarrett’s been through a lot, Dr. Ryan—”

“ _Dinah,”_ Callie chuckled.  “Please.  We’ve all been through too much together.  Please call us Steve and Callie.  No more formal titles, okay?”

Dinah smiled at the young doctor.  Callie had always been one of her favorites and she looked forward to days when her services were required at the hospital.  Callie was fresh and bright and so down-to-earth.  “Okay, Dr.— _Callie,”_ she corrected herself.  “That’s going to take some getting used to.  Now, is there anything I can do for my favorite patient and his fiancée?” 

“He asked if it would be possible for him to have something more for the pain.”

Dinah nodded.  “Of course.” 

“It’s strange for him to ask for pain meds, isn’t it?” Callie mused aloud.  “He has to take so many medications for the transplant and radiation sickness, he’s usually adamant about not taking anything else, even Tylenol.”

Dinah touched her arm.  “I guess that in itself lets us know how much he’s hurting, poor thing.”

Callie nodded and shook her head warily.  “I know.  Would you mind taking this to him when you take the pain meds?  He’s asking for Jack and I’m going to go get him from the waiting room.”

“I’d be happy to,” Dinah said, taking the items from Callie’s hands. 

* * *

 

“Knock, knock,” Dinah said, tapping on the door of the hospital room as she pushed it open.  Danny was sitting in a chair by the bed, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees and his hands clasped together, watching Steve.  Steve’s eyes were closed, but his face was tense. 

“Is he asleep?” Dinah asked quietly, putting the soda and cup on the tray by the bed.  She scanned his hospital bracelet and the syringe of medication before putting it into his IV.

“No,” Danny replied.  “Just not feeling well.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Dinah said sincerely, rubbing Steve’s shoulder for a few moments.

Steve blearily opened his eyes.  He blinked slowly.  His face relaxed, the pain lines around his eyes and mouth smoothing out.  “Gave me somethin’?” he mumbled.

“Yes.  We upped your pain medication just a bit.  Is it helping?”

“Mmhm.”

“Good.”

Seeing that her patient was already drifting to sleep, Dinah smiled at Danny.  “Let me know if he needs anything else, hon.”

Danny nodded.  “Thanks, Dinah.”

* * *

 

“Hey, Danny,” Jack said as he walked into the room.  “You taking care of our boy?”

“Trying my best,” Danny said with a smile.  He stood up and stretched.  “I’m going to go grab dinner with Grace.  I’ll bring something back for you, Cal.”

“Thanks, Danno,” Callie said, giving him a quick hug.  Danny walked out of the room.

“How’s he really doing, Callie?” Jack asked softly as he took in the sight of the man he thought of as a son.  He held a sleeping Steve’s hand at the same time he laid his other on top of Steve’s head.  He had been concerned when Callie came into the waiting room and said Steve was asking for him, but only him.

Callie sighed and pressed her lips together, frowning slightly as she looked at the sleeping man in the bed. 

“He’s….” she trailed off, sighing again and rubbing her forehead.  “I don’t know, Jack.  Physically, he’s…just okay.  Not much better, not much worse.  He has a fever again that’s slowly creeping up.  We’re not sure if it’s because of another infection or if it’s just from the trauma his body has been through.  We’re all praying it’s not another infection, but that’s definitely a possibility.  Psychologically…well, he’s struggling.  I think that’s why he wanted you.”

Jack nodded warily.  “We’re going to have to keep an eye on him.  Torture like that…it takes a huge toll on a man.”  He shook his head slowly.  “I wish I wouldn’t have asked him to go.  Sally’s pretty upset with me right now.”  He gave Callie a half smile.  “You can’t get between her and that boy, you know.  She has had a soft spot for him from way back.  I’m going to be in the doghouse for a while.”

“Oh, Jack, this isn’t your fault.  You know that.”

“That doesn’t make it any easier.  He’s like a son to me, and I put him in harm’s way.”

“He wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.  And look at the good that came from the mission.  The cartel was disbanded, drugs were taken off the streets, and Elisabeth…well, Elisabeth was an unexpected blessing to Steve and was able to get herself out of an impossible situation.  No matter what he’s suffering through, I know he wouldn’t do anything differently.”

They stopped their conversation when Steve began to stir.  He opened his eyes slowly, blinking sluggishly. 

“Hey, son,” Jack said quietly.  He moved his hand to the top of Steve’s head again, gently rubbing his fingers through his hair. 

“Hey,” Steve breathed.  He coughed and winced.

Callie offered him the cup Dinah had brought in earlier.  He took a sip through the straw before leaning back and turning his head away. 

“How are you?” Jack asked.

“I’ll be fine, sir.”

“I like the way you phrased that,” Jack chuckled.  His response earned a small smile from Steve.

“Yeah, well.”

“No one expects you to be fine right now, Steve.  You know that.”

Steve nodded, looking away.  “I know.  I asked Cal to get you.”

Jack waited.

“You know I’ve been here before.”

Jack nodded. 

“I can’t…I can’t do what I did before.  I can’t end up the way I was then.  I have too much to lose now.”  Steve paused, looking Jack directly in the eyes.  “I need you to call Brett, Jack.  I need you to get him here.”

 

 

 

 


End file.
